SSCS

I have loved participating in Chooky's secret Santa over the past few years, and await with much anticipation the sending of my parcel to its recipient and mine arriving. This  yummy looking parcel arrived in the mail late last week. It was from Clare in New Zealand. We were allowed to open the decoration and the other gift us for Christmas Day.

Clare it is just beautiful and perfect for me with those little woolly mittens.  Your cross stitch is just beautiful and fine.  Thankyou so very much. I just love it.  I don't have your email so I do hope you read this.  I look forward to my other parcel on Christmas Day.

Lots of secret friend stitching been happening at the moment, so not much I can share, but hopefully soon.  Cheryl

Stitched in Time Class

I know you must think I do nothing but classes - it just so happens there were three I had put my name for close together.  This day was a lovely Gail Pan one - and it was Christmas - so you can't get any better than that.

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Gail and Ramona with two of our projects for the day.

Gail's lovely cushion which is the project I stitched on the day.

Also loved this table centre with the dresdens - something a bit different.

Had to show you this hexie quilt from show and tell.  It belongs to Vicki Reed - she does some amazing quilts and is so quick. Think from memory this took her two months!!

And loved this -  alsoVicki's, but elongated hexies.  My photo does not do it justice.

Gail's circle a day quilt - or one of them. She needleturned one circle to a 5" background every day for a year. This is a blue one, but she has also finished two others using her circles. I've started - 2-1/2 months in and so far havn't missed a day - yet lol.

Another of Gail's scrap quilts.

Such a fun day and I did have a purchase or two. Will take a piccie for next time.  I have been sewing but mostly secret sewing at this time of year.  Cheryl

Stitch in Spring Part 2

Loved this day at Port Campbell run by Gum Valley Patchwork. Here's the last of the photos I took -

Loved this little quilt of Anni's - bought the pattern.

Such a wonderful tutor.

As was Melissa

And there was shopping

And lots of inspiration. Anni's new xmas projects

And Melissa's gorgeous display

Had been dying to see Anni's lock of the month "Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs" in the flesh. Amazing - beautiful wool on linen.  Cheryl

Stitch in Spring

I was lucky enough to get a spot at "Stitch in Spring" - a very popular weekend run by Gum Valley Patchwork.  I had stitched many of Anni Downs' (from Hatched and Patched) projects, block of the months and stitchalongs, but had never done a class with Anni, so was particularly keen to do this weekend.  Another favourite was teaching with her - Melissa from One Day in May.

The tables were oh so gorgeous and Linda had made each one of us a zippered pouch - 130 in total.

Melissa's beautiful zippered rabbit pouch was a favourite of our projects - all done by hand.

Her second project was this beautiful book cover with pretty Lilacs.

Anni's gorgeous folder cover - the project I stitched on the day. This was the stitchery/wool version.

And the stitched version on beautiful brown linen.

Anni showing her second project - a gorgeous zippered bag in linen and wools - also completely done by hand. Love those sorts of projects.  She is the sweetest person and very giving of her time and information, as is Melissa.

I had been so looking forward to see Anni's block of the month "Dancing Chickens and Flying Pigs" in the flesh - gorgeous linen background and quirky wool blocks.  I am "collecting" this block of the month for "one day" lol.

Have lots of other lovely photos from this day, so might carry them over for another post. Cheryl

August Catchup

My local craft/patchwork shop, where I happen to be employed (I know dream job) had a lovely class in early August with Leanne from Petals and Patches.  So great when they come out into the country as it's usually us travelling to Melbourne.

Have some great photos of our class but for some reason my security provider on my laptop is not letting me download them tonight - think it's time for a new laptop!!!

We had  two lovely projects to work on the day. This one I am well underway with the stitching.

The other was a beautiful appliqued needlecase/sewing folder.

 

August also saw us enjoying a lovely week on the Sunshine Coast. My lovely friend Karen and her husband from Brisbane spent one day with us and took us on a tour around - first stop The Patchwork Angel.  And didn't we have fun.  Wish I'd taken a photo of the ginger scones we had at the Buderim ginger factory - oh they were amazing.

Karen inside the beautiful The Patchwork Angel.

So many lovely things to do on the Sunshine coast apart from relaxing. Australia Zoo was a favourite - so clean and spacious.

 Ha ha - this was the only photo I could get to download

Relaxing at Australia Zoo - ;

loved it here. Just amazing.  Hopefully I can get this sorted and back with more soon. Cheryl

What I've Been Up To

It is a month or so since I did a blog post. Not sure where the weeks are flying by.  Had a nice week off work and spent it in South Australia with my youngest daughter and her family. Our youngest granddaughter celebrated her 1st birthday.  Wish I could show you the videos. She started walking at 9 months and so very good on her feet.  And obviously watching everything her big 3 year old brother does as while we were there she decided she could scoot along on the scooter like he does. Just amazing how quick they grow.

Have been dabbling in many projects (as always) on the sewing front. 

Another two blocks done in my wool "harvest' block of the month - think that's 7 done now.

Scarecrows and pumpkins were  popular theme in this bom.  Each block was designed by a different designer.

And of course always plenty of stitchery on the go.  This block has been a long time in the stitching though.  I am stitching along (very slowly) with Fiona and Michelle on Anni Down's A Gardener's Journal and have almost finished the main house block.  But I have traced the next two to spur me along.

And a lovely gingie block from Michelle's book  " Holly Jolly Christmas" which I'm also stitching along with a bunch of others.  Michelle's gorgeous book is available via her blog michelleridgwaydesigns1.blogspot.com.au.  This block is one of my favs.

Cheryl

My Latest Class

I'm a bit late posting this. My laptop is playing up big time, so while it's working okay I'll post about my latest class with Lisa from FignBerry and Leanne from Petals and Patches -

Some of our gorgeous projects from Leanne - a beautiful coat hanger and wallet.  As you can probably guess the theme was "Red".

Loved this pouch from Lisa.

This needle roll of Lisa's is what on worked on for the day - loved the cute bunnies.

Loved this one too - that's on my "next" list.

Gorgeous Leanne with Christine and Karen. We had a lovely fun table with lots of talking and  lots of laughing.

Alison and Carol were with us too - though not much sewing happening there lol.

To show you we actually do finish things - Sandy and I with our finished quilt tops from last year's Christmas mystery block of the month from Lisa. 

Loved Carol's cushion - this was actually a wallhanging pattern of Lisa's which Carol had no room for, so turned it into a cushion instead.  How great does it look.
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Karen from Mrs Martins quilt shop always gives us a laugh - we love her.

I took lots of photos this time, but will leave it at that.  Plus I must get to work.  Have a great day Cheryl

Road Trip and other Bits

Recently a friend and I headed off on a little road trip. A favourite shop - Threadbare at Castlemaine is closing it's doors in May, sadly so a visit was in order especially with 40% off -

Now I tried to be good - I really did, and I even had a list but a couple of extras's may have come home with me.  On the left are some backgrounds which I am always using and looking for. The red may have been a "just cos" purchase" and the browns I needed for a Stitchalong I'm doing of Michelle's lovely Christmas quilt - they will become plum pudding and gingerbread men, etc.  The caramels and black will go in my husband's special "0" birthday quilt, which is past I might add.

Stitching wise I have been doing Lisa from FignBerries Christmas block of the month.  I am a little behind, but am enjoying these cute blocks.

And "C" for candy canes. Currently stitching D and E.

And I've been working on the projects from the Gail Pan/Bonnie Sullivan class I did. This cute sewing bag is ready to put together - think it's the zip that's putting me off lol.

Now I'm also working on another project with Fiona and Michelle - "A Gardener's Journal" from Anni Downs, which I've had for a long time, so with Fiona's encouragement I have dragged it out.  Now for some reason, which escapes me at the moment lol, I decided to work on the big house block first, so progress has been slow.  And I have actually done the verandah posts and the door since this photo was taken. 

And because I can't not have a wool project on the go at the moment I have finished block 3 of "Little Woolly Sampler" from Jenny of  Woollen Willow designs.  Cheryl

Belated Class Post

Now looking through my blog posts of late I realised I had missed doing a post on a wonderful class I did before Easter with Gail Pan and her very special guest Bonnie Sullivan from America.  I was very excited about doing this class, as apart from loving Gail's designs I knew Bonnie did a lot of work with wool, which I also love.

I couldn't resist these new patterns of Gail's to work on during the year.

Some projects from our goodie bag.  Love the sewing bag from Gail which has a clear zippered pocket on the back. The zip will test me out, but I have the stitchery almost done.

She surprised me with her new Christmas book for my birthday - very yummy.

Thes were Bonnie's projects included in our goodie bag.  They are pre-printed on beautiful fabric ready to stitch and sew the wool pieces onto.  The one I am working on at the moment, and which I LOVED, is the sampler on the left.

A couple more of my purchases. How could I leave that snowman there lol.

And some beautiful wools.

And a couple more little projects to keep me busy - couldn't resist these xmas projects of Bonnie's. Was a wonderful day - in fact one of the most memorable I think.

And to finish - some more birthday spoiling I just had to show you.  My husband always says I always two weeks out of my birthday lol -

LOVE IT. Cheryl